Did Ed Sheeran and Cherry conceive their daughter in Antarctica?

Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn announced the arrival of their daughter Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran on social media on Tuesday.  

And an unearthed picture of Ed, 29, taken NINE months ago in Antarctica could explain the inspiration behind Lyra’s unusual middle name and begs the question – is that where the baby was conceived?

In the photo posted by NotJust Clothing to Instagram on December 17, Ed posed on a boat surrounded by ice, although Cherry, 28, was not visible in the picture.

MailOnline has learned the clothing company sent Ed the festive jumper he is wearing, shortly before he boarded his flight on the trip of a lifetime. 

Eco-conscious Ed wore the ‘David Attenbrrr’ design, made from recycled plastic bottles while travelling around the icy continent. 

And earlier, it was revealed Lyra’s first name was inspired by the main character in her dad’s favourite book series, His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman.  

Lyra Belacqua, also known as Lyra Silvertongue, is the heroine of Pullman’s trilogy.  

Lyra is a young girl who inhabits a parallel universe and finds herself embroiled in a cosmic war between Lord Asriel on the one side, and the first angel to come into being, called The Authority, and his Regent, called Metatron, on the other. 

In 2015, Ed tweeted: ‘[By] far, Philip Pullman – his dark materials are the best books I’ve ever read.’

Ed announced he had become a father on Instagram on Tuesday morning, sharing a picture of Lyra’s booties and a colourful blanket.

Revealing that Cherry had given birth the week before, he wrote: ‘Ello! A quick message from me as I have some personal news that I wanted to share with you… 

‘Last week, with the help of an amazing delivery team, Cherry gave birth to our beautiful and healthy daughter – Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran.

‘We are completely in love with her. Both mum and baby are doing amazing and we are on cloud nine over here. 

‘We hope that you can respect our privacy at this time. Lots of love and I’ll see you when it’s time to come back, Ed x.’

A source revealed the news that the couple were expecting last month.

They told The Sun:  ‘Ed and Cherry are over the moon. They’re very excited, but have kept things very low key. 

‘Lockdown was a perfect excuse not to be seen out and about too much, but things are getting closer and the excitement has been building so they have started telling friends and family.

‘They’re just making the last of the preparations at home, and the baby is expected later this summer. 

‘It’s a really happy time and their families are all totally delighted for them and cannot wait to meet the new arrival.’

MailOnline contacted representatives for Ed Sheeran for comment at the time.  

Ed announced at the end of last year that he was taking an extended break from his career to focus on travelling and his personal life. 

The couple have been together for five years, with Ed confirming last summer that he and Cherry, 28, tied the knot in a private ceremony in January 2019. 

Singer Ed first revealed Cherry was his wife in an interview with Charlamagne The God to promote his album No.6 Collaborations Project.

After Charlamagne The God asked about lyrics on the album which refer to the singer’s ‘wife’, Ed admitted that he wrote the words before the couple tied the knot, but he ‘knew that we’d be married’ by the point that the song came out. 

The Grammy winner and Cherry wed in a ceremony that saw just 40 close friends and family in attendance, according to a report in The Sun. 

A source said: ‘Neither of them were that fussed about making a big deal about it. Cherry just wanted to get it out of the way without any problems or intrusions.’

Ed announced his engagement to Cherry in January 2018 with a candid Instagram snap, gushing to fans: ‘Got myself a fiancée just before new year. We are very happy and in love, and our cats are chuffed as well xx’

The couple are thought to have started dating in 2015, with Ed’s best pal Taylor Swift sharing a photo of the pair kissing on her Instagram account.

Ed and Cherry first met as children when they both attended Thomas Mills High School in Framlingham, Suffolk. 

But Cherry moved to the US for university, meaning the friends lost touch. After working on Wall Street, she moved back to the UK in 2016 to be with Ed.  

During his candid 2019 interview with Charlamagne The God, Ed spoke about the sacrifices he would be willing to make for Cherry and their future family.

Ed explained that Cherry’s job as a risk assessor at an accounting firm meant they’ve previously been separated for long period when he’s been on tour, explaining that ‘something has to give’ in order for the couple to last long term. 

‘I’m starting a life with Cherry,’ he said, adding: ‘I can’t spend the next 20 years on the road. Kids would be the different thing. I wouldn’t mind sacrificing for them.

‘If someone told me you can’t tour again for the next ten years if you have kids that is fine, because that is what I have signed up for.’ 

‘I’ve already achieved more than I thought I would, so now I’m just trying to have fun.’ 

He added of his wife that he feels lucky every day that ‘she has chosen me’, gushing:  ‘I constantly wake up every day and look at Cherry and think, “why the f*** are you with me?” She could be with anyone she wants to but she has chosen me.

‘And I am saying all of the things that are wrong with me and you still want to be with me. She doesn’t add fuel to the flames.

‘If she said, “Yeah, why am I with you?” then you would get anxiety. But I think it’s sweet to think the person you’re with is out of your league. Imagine if you thought, you’re with me because I’m f***ing amazing. That would be the worst thing, just to take it for granted.’ 

Ed, who has enjoyed periods of time away from the spotlight in the past, is said to have embraced the quiet life during lockdown with Cherry at their sprawling Suffolk estate, taking up gardening and growing his own fruit and vegetables. 

It was reported recently that the fiercely private star intends to buy out the owners of three houses that sit on the edge of his £3.7million Suffolk estate because their gardens encroach on his land. 

The singer who owns a total of 27 properties both within and outside London worth £57million, has slowly been accumulating the land around his home in Suffolk, turning it into what has become known as ‘Sheeranville’. 

Worth around £200million, Ed owns five of the properties on the land, but the homeowners [of the remaining three houses] know that Ed will give them the best price if and when they decide to move on. 

Ed has been building and adding onto his estate for the last five years, and now has a pub, swimming pool and hot tub, orchard, walled kitchen garden, greenhouses, an underground cinema, a gym, a recording studio, a wildlife pond and an area for goats, sheep and chickens.